David Kernan
Removing operational friction so businesses can scale.
I've done the work, not just advised on it.
I find the one thing slowing a business down, put a number on what it costs, and remove it.
Most of what I get called into looks like a technology problem and turns out not to be. A reporting complaint that starts in the sales process. A request for another hire that is really a workflow nobody owns. An AI project quietly automating work that should have been deleted.
I notice those because I have worked on both sides of them. I started in an accounting practice, moved into a consultancy SQL practice, and spent years as an analyst before I ever ran anything. Then I ran the functions: digital insights and analytics for a €500m group across 14 markets, reporting for a €50m digital banking programme, and Data, Analytics and Business Systems for a scaling international technology company. Most recently I led Product, Data and Engineering for an enterprise AI platform serving more than twenty enterprise customers.
That range is the point. The visible problem is rarely the real one, and the real one usually sits in the gap between two teams who each think it belongs to the other. If you have only ever worked inside one of those teams, that gap is invisible.
I work on my own. You get me from the first conversation to the last, which means the person who diagnoses the problem is the person accountable for the answer. There is no team to hand you off to, and no incentive for me to make the work bigger than it needs to be — the best outcome is usually that you fix it yourselves and I tell you how.
Based in Ireland and Portugal, working with companies across the UK and Europe. On site when the work needs it.
- Microsoft AI Transformation Leader
- AWS Certified AI Practitioner
- Salesforce Data Architect
- Salesforce Administrator
- CIPP/E (data protection)
What clients and colleagues say
“During my time I have been both a customer of Dave’s work and also his line manager, and where Dave excels is his ability to take the “problem statement” and provide a clear solution which not only answers the original query but provides a holistic view of the problem and its impacts across the wider business.”
“I had the pleasure of bringing Dave on to the team in Genesis for the role of Head of Data, Analytics & Business Systems. He consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership and strategic vision, establishing the function, transforming complex data and providing actionable insights that drove significant business growth.”
“I worked with David on the implementation of a Master Data Management software solution for Dunbia Meats Ltd. In this project David performed the role of lead technical SQL Server Master Data Services consultant. … David helped the project get off the ground by providing proof of concept prototypes to support discussions and address concerns raised at executive level, and through coaching and training of the team.”
“He has an exceptional analytical mind, an eye for detail, and brings a solutions-oriented approach that consistently enhanced our project outcomes and streamlined complex data workflows.”
“I relied on the analysis, reporting, and insights from David and his team on a regular basis. … He is a creative and innovative problem solver who took on any challenge. He’s a strong commercially aware communicator whose opinions and contributions were highly valued within the company.”